A geophysical data acquisition device

A geophysical data acquisition and processing system comprising:

• a plurality of transducers adapted to generate response signals in response to a geophysical excitation inducing one or more physical phenomena associated with different types of geophysical data and adapted to measure the one or more physical phenomena, wherein the one or more physical phenomena measured by at least one transducer of the plurality of different transducers are associated with a type of geophysical data that is different to the type of geophysical data associated with the one or more physical phenomena measured by at least another transducer of the plurality of transducers;
• a plurality of geophysical data acquisition devices, each geophysical data acquisition device being connected to a respective set of transducers of the plurality of transducers, and
• wherein each geophysical data acquisition device acquires and processes response signals that are generated by a plurality of transducers in response to a geophysical excitation inducing one or more physical phenomena associated with different types of geophysical data, wherein the transducers are adapted to measure the one or more physical phenomena and located in respective geographical regions local to the geophysical data acquisition device, the geophysical data acquisition device being in communication with a remote external device that is located in a geographical region that is remote to the plurality of transducers, and comprising:
• a plurality of transducer signal receivers configured to receive the response signals from the plurality of transducers;
• a wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive command or parameter information from the remote external device;
• a processor configured to, based on the received command or parameter information:
• receive excitation information associated with excitation parameters characteristic of the geophysical excitation;
• determine, from the plurality of transducers, a selection of transducers adapted to measure one or more physical phenomena associated with at least one of the different types of geophysical data;
• and
• using the excitation information, process the response signals received by the transducer signal receivers corresponding to the selection of transducers to generate, for each response signal of the selection, respective transducer data corresponding to geophysical data;
• and
• a data transmitter configured to transmit to the remote external device the generated transducer data obtained from the processing of the response signals received by the transducer signal receivers corresponding to the selection of transducers;
• wherein the one or more physical phenomena measured by at least one transducer of the plurality of transducers are associated with a type of geophysical data that is different to the type of geophysical data associated with the one or more physical phenomena measured by at least another transducer of the plurality of transducers;
• and
• wherein the geophysical data are usable to derive information on the physical properties of the Earth's surface and subsurface;
• and
• a geophysical data processing server configured to receive and process the generated transducer data transmitted from the plurality of geophysical data acquisition devices.

A method of acquiring and processing response signals that are generated by a plurality of transducers in response to a geophysical excitation inducing one or more geophysical phenomena associated with different types of geophysical data, wherein the transducers are adapted to measure the one or more physical phenomena and located in respective geographical regions, wherein the one or more physical phenomena measured by at least one transducer of the plurality of transducers are associated with a type of geophysical data that is different to the type of geophysical data associated with the one or more physical phenomena measured by at least another transducer of the plurality of transducers, and wherein the geophysical data are usable to derive information on the physical properties of the Earth's surface and subsurface, the method comprising:

• receiving, by the plurality of transducer signal receivers of a geophysical data acquisition device that is in communication with the plurality of transducers and that is local to the respective geographical regions, the response signals generated by the plurality of transducers in response to a geophysical excitation inducing one or more geophysical phenomena associated with different types of geophysical data;
• wirelessly receiving, by a wireless receiver of the geophysical data acquisition device, command or parameter information from a remote external device that is in communication with the geophysical data acquisition device and that is located in a geographical region that is remote to the plurality of transducers;
• receiving, by a processor of the geophysical data acquisition device, excitation information associated with excitation parameters characteristic of the geophysical excitation;
• based on the receiving command or parameter information, determining, by the processor from the plurality of transducers, a selection of transducers adapted to measure one or more physical phenomena associated with at least one of the different types of geophysical data;
• processing, by the processor and using the excitation information, the response signals received by the transducer signal receivers corresponding to the selection of transducers to generate, for each response signal of the selection, respective transducer data indicative of geophysical measurements usable to derive information on the physical properties of the Earth's surface and subsurface;
• and
• transmitting, by the data transmitter and to the remote external device, the generated transducer data obtained from the processing of the response signals received by the transducer signal receivers corresponding to the selection of transducers.

A geophysical data acquisition device for acquiring and processing response signals that are generated by a plurality of transducers in response to a geophysical excitation inducing one or more physical phenomena associated with different types of geophysical data, wherein the transducers are adapted to measure the one or more physical phenomena and located local to the geophysical data acquisition device, the geophysical data acquisition device being in communication with a remote external device that is located remote to the plurality of transducers, and comprising:

• a plurality of transducer signal receivers configured to receive the response signals from the plurality of transducers;
• a wireless receiver configured to wirelessly receive command or parameter information from the remote external device;
• a processor configured to, based on the received command or parameter information;
• receive excitation information associated with excitation parameters characteristic of the geophysical excitation;
• determine, from the plurality of transducers, a selection of transducers adapted to measure one or more physical phenomena associated with at least one of the different types of geophysical data;
• and
• using the excitation information, process the response signals received by the transducer signal receivers corresponding to the selection of transducers to generate, for each response signal of the selection, respective transducer data indicative of geophysical measurements usable to derive information on the physical properties of the Earth's surface and subsurface;
• and
• a data transmitter configured to transmit to the remote external device the generated transducer data obtained from the processing of the response signals received by the transducer signal receivers corresponding to the selection of transducers,
• wherein the one or more physical phenomena measured by at least one transducer of the plurality of transducers are associated with a type of geophysical data that is different to the type of geophysical data associated with the one or more physical phenomena measured by at least another transducer of the plurality of transducers, and
• wherein the geophysical data are usable to derive information on the physical properties of the Earth's surface and subsurface.